Texas Republicans respond to abortion law ruling

A federal judge has struck down part of an anti-abortion law passed by the Texas Legislature this summer, saying the law would restrict women’s access to abortion clinics.

The law’s provision required doctors to have admitting privileges at local hospitals before performing abortions, which pro-choice activists said would close many of the state’s abortion providers. U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel ruled the provision unconstitutional on Monday.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who bore the brunt of the criticism when the law was passed, said the ruling does not mean Texas will stop fighting for laws passed by the legislature for the people.

“Today’s decision will not stop our ongoing efforts to protect life and ensure the women of our state aren’t exposed to any more of the abortion-mill horror stories that have made headlines recently,” Perry said in a statement.

Yeakel’s final judgment of the case found that the bill does not have a “rational relationship” to allow the state to interfere in fetal health and places an obstacle in the way of women seeking abortions.

Perry bore the brunt of the criticism when the law passed, along with the Republican-controlled Senate.

State Sen. Wendy Davis, now a candidate for Texas governor against Attorney General Greg Abbott, made her name on the national level by launching a 12-hour filibuster to prevent the bill’s passage.

The bill was expected to take effect Oct. 29.

A statement from Rep. Kevin Brady said the law was carefully crafted to protect the life and health of both the mother and the fetus, and he was disappointed it was overturned.

“It’s reasonable to require doctors to be able to admit their patients to a nearby hospital when complications arise during such a serious surgery,” Brady said. “I’m confident the ruling will ultimately be overturned.”

Sen. Ted Cruz also spoke out against the judge’s ruling Monday, saying the “commonsense legislation” was constitutional and helpful to protect women and unborn children. He said he hoped the Fifth Circut Court of Appeals would uphold the law.